Ala. Code § 12-9A-7: Temporary Assignment of Circuit or District Judge to Another Circuit.

(a) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, by order, shall assign a circuit or district judge from a judicial circuit to serve within another judicial circuit for a reasonable period of time to address court congestion, court delay, civil and criminal backlog of cases, or for any other reason necessary for the prompt and thorough administration of justice.

(b) When considering the amount of time a judge may be assigned from his or her home circuit to another circuit, the Chief Justice shall take into consideration all relevant circumstances regarding the judicial needs of the circuits involved.

(c) A judge assigned to serve another circuit under subsection (a) shall be reimbursed for any necessary and reasonable expenses of travel and the same maintenance expense allowances from the State Treasury that the judge would be entitled to receive when attending court or transacting other official business outside of the judge’s home circuit.

(d) This section shall not apply in Jefferson County.